Gordan Žvanović, Croatian Radio Television. A question for Prime Minister Plenković and Chancellor Merz. Specifically, can the purchase of tanks by Croatia from Germany, these 44 Leopard tanks, be used to further strengthen cooperation in the defense industry? Croatia has bought these 44 tanks from Germany. Is Germany interested in purchasing some products from the Croatian defense industry? We are recognized, among other things, for drone production and demining. If you could please clarify. Thank you.
First of all, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the government of Croatia for deciding to make this purchase. This purchase goes far beyond its actual military and material value. We need to cooperate much more strongly within the European Union, also in harmonizing systems. I always say this with three S's: we need fewer systems, we need simplification, and we need to achieve higher economies of scale. This means we really need an effort in the European Union to produce as few systems as possible in as large quantities as possible. And we are, of course, looking at this very closely and jointly, also regarding the procurement of other military equipment. And if a country like Croatia can contribute to meeting these demands for simplification, standardization, and higher quantities, then it is naturally a partner for us, and I will look at this very closely. We are also looking at this systematically in the European Union, how we can achieve this goal. And as I said, tanks are just one element of many. And whatever we can do together there will always have my approval, even if we then forego our own procurement and our own companies, if we can do it better together in the European Union.
I can only add, for example, the purchase of Leopard tanks didn't start with this deal. It began, as you know, with an arrangement between Croatia, Germany, and Ukraine, where Croatia transferred M84 and M80 tanks to Germany, which were then given to Ukraine. These tanks served the Ukrainian army in its defense efforts and response to Russian aggression, and Germany financially compensated Croatia for them. On the other hand, we mentioned the possibilities of cooperation with defense industries, where I particularly highlight the partnership between Đuro Đaković and Rheinmetall. Đuro Đaković is a world leader, holding 80% of the market when it comes to island demining, which of course doesn't endanger people because it's remotely operated. We are equally satisfied with the great progress of the Croatian company Orqa, which is one of the leaders in FPV drone production, and without Chinese components. Here, Croatia has shown leadership and interest at the European Union level, in partnership with other countries, for this production and business partnerships to expand, and similarly with other companies.
Chancellor, do you feel addressed when Donald Trump says that Europeans are doing a bad job, especially on migration, and that a partnership between the USA and Germany should be made without Europe? You reacted to the US security strategy with the sentence that if one can't do anything with Europe, one should at least make Germany a partner. And Prime Minister, you have already pointed to the European Council. Do you believe that the question of Russian assets will be resolved there? And what have you discussed among yourselves? Did the Chancellor signal that Russian assets in Germany could also be made available?
At my first meeting and also later repeatedly, I told the American President that we in Germany are making a new policy on immigration and asylum law. I will tell him at the next opportunity when we see each other that we have had great success with this, that we were able to roughly halve the number of asylum seekers in Germany, and I assume that he will also recognize that we have made a course correction in the area that has indeed burdened us significantly in Germany. My remark yesterday was simply to be understood as me telling him that if he can't do anything with this institution or with the construction of the European Union, and it is quite obvious that the American government struggles with it, then at least individual member states, and Germany is naturally the first among them, with whom one can enter into such a cooperation. I maintain my assessment that America must also have an interest in having partners in the world. We have an interest in having partners in the world, and the United States of America should also count among them in the future. And that is exactly the attitude I have conveyed to President Trump in several conversations. By the way, this security strategy that the Americans published last week is not really a big surprise, given that the American Vice President gave a speech at the Munich Security Conference that you have probably all heard and remember. And in this respect, we are preparing for the transatlantic relationship to change. But I still want to see it as a partnership, and I hope that America sees it the same way from its perspective towards Europe and then also towards Germany.
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